Bromley FC removed from the FA Trophy

Last season’s FA Trophy finalists Bromley have been thrown out of the competition for fielding an ineligible player.

The Ravens beat Sutton United 2-1 in the first round last month, but were charged with a breach of competition rules with the ineligible player being used as a substitute.

At a meeting of an FA National Game Competitions Sub-Committee today, the members considered the charge raised by the FA for an alleged breach of FA Trophy Rule 15(i)(i) in relation to Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe playing against Sutton having not received the required permissions by the lending club, Colchester United.

The members found the breach proven and ordered Sutton to be reinstated into the competition, who will now travel to Spennymoor Town in the second round on Saturday, January 12.

Bromley Football Club would then issued the following statement regarding the FA’s decision to remove the Club from this season’s FA Trophy competition.

The breach of rule related to the fielding of loanee Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe. As required, the Club had obtained written permission from Colchester United for the player to represent Bromley FC in the FA Trophy. Unfortunately, this document was not properly received by the FA due to an administrative oversight on our part.

Having shown the upmost respect to the FA and the competition, as well as remaining fully transparent and open at all times regarding the reasons behind the oversight, and having followed due process since the charge, including adhering to confidentiality requests from the FA, along with attending a personal hearing at Wembley Stadium, the Club are deeply disappointed to have received the most severe sanction possible despite this being the Club’s first ever FA Trophy rule breach.

This administrative error was brought to the attention of the FA by Sutton United’s secretary. The FA then informed us.

The Club has today expressed its sincere apologies to the players and management, who, over the course of a 90 minute match, won the game 2-1. Most importantly, the Club would like to apologise to its loyal supporters who experienced a Wembley final last season in this competition, and tirelessly support the team home and away.

As detailed above, the Club has gone to great lengths to plead its case with the FA. The Club does have the right to appeal, but having gone through today’s unsatisfactory hearing, and given the appeal hearing would take place just two days before the Second Round and the further uncertainty that this would cause, the Club will not be looking to appeal the sanction.